Jaguars Sign Former Heisman Winner Tim Tebow To 1-Year-Contract

JACKSONVILLE, FLA — The Tim Tebow-Urban Meyer reunion has become official after the former University of Florida star and 2007 Heisman Trophy winner signed a one-year deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars to play for his former coach.

Tebow, who last played in a regular season NFL game in 2013 and was cut by the Philadelphia Eagles after four preseason games in 2015, will join the Jaguars as a tight end. He will on Thursday join the Jaguars, who hired Meyer in the offseason, as they begin their official offseason program Monday.

Tebow, who has been playing minor league baseball in the New York Mets organization for three seasons, retired from baseball earlier this year and announced plans to try to make an NFL comeback. Tebow turns 34 in August and will attempt to come back at a new position after being drafted in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos.

Tebow approached Meyer about a tryout earlier this year and has worked out twice for the Jaguars, according to media reports.

"I want to thank the Jaguars for the opportunity to compete and earn the chance to be part of this team," Tebow said in a statement issued by the team on Thursday. "I know it will be a challenge, but it is a challenge I embrace. I am dedicated to taking the direction of our coaching staff and learning from my teammates. I appreciate everyone's support as I embark on this new journey."

Tebow, who went 7-4 as a starting quarterback for the Broncos in 2011, has also been part of the roster of the New York Jets, New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles. He never made a regular-season roster with the Patriots and Eagles. He is now one of six tight ends on the Jaguars' roster.

In an interview with former NFL wide receiver Cris Collinsworth last week, Meyer — who led Florida to the 2008 national title with Tebow as his quarterback — dismissed criticism of bringing Tebow back in a new role.

"There's a thought going around. He was in the best shape of his life, asked to see if he could work out with a couple of our coaches," Meyer told the Cris Collinsworth PFF Podcast last week. "I wasn't even there. They came back to me and said, 'Wow, this guy's in incredible shape.' Then I went another time and watched them try him out. And they said go work on these things, he comes back later.

“They try him out again, I'm not there, they come in and they said, 'Wow, this guy's ball skills, he's a great athlete, he looks like he's 18 years old, not 20, whatever he is, 33. I said, 'Guys you don't understand, now this guy is, he's the most competitive maniac you're ever gonna talk to and let's give it a shot.'"